Internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter and classically trained violinist Jean Watson has been selected as an Artist of the Month for November 2016 by the influential music discovery portal, NewReleaseToday.com.  

 RELATED: Jean Watson's Wonder: Song Stories

The site features Watson on its front page, profiling her career and highlighting music from her new CD, WONDER, which released to retail Friday, October 14, 2016 from Suite 28 Records and Shadowlands Music through Naxos of America, Inc., the nation's leading independent classical music distributor.  

"What an honor to be NewReleaseToday's Artist of the Month!" declares Watson. "I am so thankful for NRT, which has helped bring my music and message to a much wider audience."  

Fans can check out Watson's profile, music, featured videos, stories behind the songs, and more online at NewReleaseToday (newreleasetoday.com/home.php).

"The music on WONDER is the most authentically 'me' music I have ever recorded," Watson says. "I believe the music is quite accessible to both the faith-based and general markets, and the opportunity to partner with Naxos to get the music into the hands of music lovers is huge. Naxos has great reach into the world music marketplace, so for the first time, my music has the possibility to be offered to audiences beyond the Christian market. How amazing to think that people may listen to this music because they love the sound and be drawn closer to God in the process!" 
 
WONDER represents something of a defining moment for the classically-trained singer/songwriter and instrumentalist, who is a fan favorite in the UK. She is especially popular in Ireland, where she has long hosted a daily inspirational radio show which can be heard worldwide on UCB Radio Ireland. So, her affinity for Celtic sound comes as no surprise.

Sporting a world music sound that falls lithely between the ethereal, yearning Celtic sound of Maire Brennan and the graceful, poetic lyricism of Enya, Watson deftly tightwalks a line that stretches between ancient themes of grace and mercy, and is anchored by contemporary declarations of worship and adoration. WONDER has an otherworldly, ethereal, moving quality which penetrates the heart and transports the listener into an attitude of worship.

In keeping with the world music direction of WONDER, Watson has enlisted the services of a number of musicians from around the globe, including South African John Ellis of Tree63 and former Newsboys drummer Peter Furler from Australia. Steve Hindalong from The Choir provides percussion, and as a special treat, Christian music legend Michael W. Smith appears as a guest accompanist as Watson performs Smith's hit, "I Can Hear Your Voice."  

For more information on Watson and WONDER, visit jeanwatson.com. 

 

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